Car-vestibule curtain.



H. H. SCHROYEIL GAB VESTIBULE CURTAIN.

APPLICATION FILED 1:20.23, 1901.

906,824. Patented Dec. 15,1908. Ii 7 x ZBFIEETs-snnn'r 1.

H H. SOHROYER.

GAB. VBSTIBULE CUBTAIIL urmoumn FILED D110. 23, 1907.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HARRY H. SCHROYER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAR-VESTIBULE CURTAIN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

Application filed December 23, 1907. Serial No. 407,731.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, HARRY H. SCHROYER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Car-vestibule Curtains; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Heretofore curtains extending from the vestibule face plate from one car. to the adjacent vestibule face plate of a car coupled therewith have been used to afford a pleasing interior surface for the vestibule and to keep the passengers from contact with the diaphragms which usually being accordion plaited afford a rough or corrugated appearance.

When the cars are separated accidentally, as may occur through the breakage of any portion of the'draft gear, and from various other causes, these curtains attached to both cars are usually torn from their fastenings on one or the other car, thereby ruining the I curtain. Sometimes the operators or train men forget to release the curtain before unroupling. and this, of course, has the same result. Usually too where such curtains are employed, a spring roller of some kind is used and this being external to the wooden frame for the vestibule face plate, is often injured and the curtain is always exposed to injury even when rolled up.

The object of this invention is to provide a spring actuated curtain roller within the inner edge of the vestibule frame or door post and to provide an adjustable casing, the outer surface of which conforms generally with said frame or post to afford a smooth continuous fitting and which effectually conceals and protects the curtain and roller when the curtain is not in use.

It is also an object of this invention to so construct. the casing as to permit it to be readily opened, to afford access to the curtain roller, if, for any reason, necessary and also to rigidly lock said casing in place in its normal adjustment/i It is finally an object of the invention to so attach the curtain to the roller as to permit instantaneous release therefrom without injuring the curtain, the roller or the casing should the cars either accidentally or other- I i I wise be separated without the curtain first being detached from the opposite vestibule.

The invention embraces many novel features and consists in the matters hereinafter described and more fully pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a fragmen tary, longitudinal section of the two vestibules showing the same coupled and the curtain in operative position. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section of one of the sideframes or door posts, showing the casing secured therein and the curtain eX- tended. Fig. 3 is a section on line 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a section on line H of Fig. 3 with the casing rgmoved. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, inner face view of the casing showing the curtain partly extended. Fig. 6 is a section on line 66 of Fig. 5 with theangular gudgeon of'the roller removed. Fig. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevation of the roller and the curtain. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail illustrating the attachment of the curtain with the roller. Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary, vertical section illustrating the lockfor the casing.

As shown in the drawings: A and A i11- dicate the vestibules of two cars coupled as usual and in which the vestibule doorposts or columns are indicated by aa. The vestibule door post on one side the car, in its inner edge, and from its lower end upwardly for slightly more than the length of the curtain roller, is bored to afford a cylindric seat or chamber, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5, which opens for its entire length through the rounded corner of the post. Rigidly engaged at the bottom thereof is a foot piece (I, provided with a central, cylindric pocket (Z. At the upper end of and at the axis of said bore is also secured a sleeve or pocket member d, and journaled therein by means of suitable gudgeons ec is the casing or guard E. Said casing or guard E comprises a semi-cylindric shell, of sheet metal or any suitable material, in the upper end of which is an end member 6 on the outer side of which at the axis is said gudgeon c and on the inner side thereof and also at the axis as shown at Fig. 6, is an angular pocket a which opens outwardly at one end as is'usual with ordinary spring roller brackets and which is adapted to receive the angular gudgeon f, of the spring roller F.

The lower end of the casing or guard E comprises an end member a provided on its outer side at the axis with the dgeon e to seat in the socket in the footpiece d, and on its inner side, at the axis, provided with a pocket to receive a cylindric gudgeon f, of the curtain roller. Said curtain roller conveniently is constructed of metal and is provided with an internal torsion spring f to roll up the curtain as is usual. As shown, the sheet metal shell f thereof is provided in one side with longitudinally alined apertures adapted to receive therein spring or expansion buttons P, which are secured as shown, along the inner margin of the curtain f and which permits the curtain to be quickly attached to the roller and also permits the curtain to be detached from the roller by ,a straight pull thereon as when the cars are uncoupled, thereby preventing injury to the curtain or roller. Seated in said column or post, as shown, above the guard or casing (though obviously, it may be otherwise disposed) is a spring latch or bolt G, provided as shown, with an external button 9, whereby it may be actuated. Said bolt engages in a suitable socket at the upper end of said guard or casing, as shown in Fig. 9, and in operative position or as shown in Fig. 2, and holds said guard or casing to close the chamber in said column or post excepting for a narrow vertical slot through which the curtain is drawn when in use. Should the curtain at any time be detached, or should it be desired to inspect the curtain,

the bolt may be retracted and the guard or casing rolled back into said bore or cavity in the column exposingthe curtain and roller, and owin to the form of the slot or seat in the end piece a of the guard or casing, the curtain may then be readily removed, if desired.

The operation is as follows: When in use the guard or casing is held in operative po sition by means of said bolt and the curtain f is drawn in to the position shown in Fig. 1 and engaged on the post of the opposite vestibule frame. Should the cars become uncoupled, Without the curtain previously being released, the se aration of the vestibules pulls the curtain o the roller owing to the use of the spring fasteners of the type frequently used for glove buttons. Should this occur, the curtain may be quickly reattached to the roller by simply retracting the bolt G, turning the guard or casing around in the bore or cavity of the column to expose the roller and pressing the buttons of the curtain into place.

Obviously, inasmuch as the curtain is wholly concealed within the column and contained within the guard or casin injury to the curtain and roller is not like y to occur.

Of course, details of construction may be varied. I therefore do not purpose limiting this application for patent otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention: v r

I. In a vestibule car the combination with the vestibule door post or column having a cavity extending longitudinally therein and opening through the inner edge' thereof, a self retracting curtain concealed within said cavity and adapted to be extended for at.- tachmentto the door post of an adjacent vestibule when the cars are coupled and a rotatable casing adapted to close said cavity.

2. In a vestibule car the combinationwith the vestibule door post or column having a cylindric cavity extending longitudinally therein and opening through the inner edge thereof for the entire length of the cavity, of a self retracting curtain concealed within said cavity and adapted to be extended for attachment to the vestibule door post of the next car and said curtain automatically detachable from the curtain rod after the curtain has been fully extended by separation of the cars.

3. In a vestibuled car the combination with one of the vestibule door posts or columns having a cylindric cavity extending longitudinally therein and opening through the'outer side thereof, a spring actuated curtain roller secured Within said cavity, a curtain spring, buttons on the curtain adapted to engage the roller and permitting the curtain to separate from the roller on a straight pull and means at the free margin of the curtain adapted for attachment to the vestibule door post of the next car.

4. In a. vestibuled car the combination with the vestibule door posts having a cylindric cavity extending longitudinally therein from near the bottom and opening through the inner corner thereof, of a self retracting curtain adapted to be concealed within said cavity and to be extended for attachment to the vestibule door post ofthe next car and a movable guard partly closing the said cavity.

5. In a vestibuled car the combination with one of the vestibule door posts having a cylindric cavity extending longitudinally and opening through the inner side thereof, a self retracting curtain concealed within said cavity and adapted to be extended for attachment to the door post of the next car and a revoluble casing adapted to conceal the curtain in one position and to open said cavity to afiord access to the curtain in another.

6. The combination with a vestibule door post having a cavity extending longitudinally in and opening through one of the outer wallsthereof,of a self retracting curtain concealed within said cavity and adapted to be extended for attachment to the door post of the next car and a semi-cylindric casing revoluble within the cavity to conceal or to expose the curtain.

7. A car vestibule diaphragm curtain embracing in combination with one of the vestibule door a spring impelled curtain roller, a curtain self detaching therefrom when fully extended, a casing open on one side and containing said roller, and seated within a suitable cavity in the vestibule door post and revoluble to conceal or to expose the curtain and roller and-a bolt adapted to secure the casing in adjusted position.

8. A car vestibule diaphragm curtain em.- bracing a spring roller, a curtain self detachable therefrom when fully extended, a revoluble casin open on one side and containing said ro er andcurtain and seated within a suitable cavity in and conforming to the surface of one of the door posts,

9. A car vestibule diaphragm curtain embracing a torsion spring curtain roller having longitudinally alined apertures therein, a curtain, spring buttons on the inner edge of the curtain adapted to engage in the apertures of the roller thereby permitting the curtain when fully extended to release the roller, a revoluble casing open on one side and containing said roller and curtain and means locking the casing in operative posi- 'tion.

10. In a device of the class described. a spring roller, a curtain self detachable therefrom when fully extended, a casing in which said roller and curtain issecured and means. supportin said casing to afford a narrow opening or the curtain or to afford full exposure thereof and a bolt holding said casing normally in o rative position. r

v 11. In a device 0 the class described a curtain roller provided with apertures, a

I curtain and spring buttons secured to the curtain adapted to detachably engage in the apertures in the roller. I c

12. In a device of the class described a curtain roller,-a curtain and spring buttons adapted to connect the curtain and roller.

13. In a device of the class describeda curtain roller, a curtain therefor and com pressible means for connecting .thercurtainf and roller adapted to release the curtain from the roller. I I I j I v 14. In a device of the class described a rotatable casing, a curtain roller adapted to be partly, inclosed thereby, a curtain and means detachably engaging the curtain to the roller. q I

15. I11 a device of the class described an adjustable semi-cylindric casing, a roller journaled therein and a curtain secured to the roller automatically detachable there from when fully extended.

16. In a device of the class described a hollow casing, an end member secured in each end thereof, a roller journaled in the end members, a curtain and a pluralit of attaching members secured to the-endo the curtain adapted to secure the curtains to. the

roller,

casing, a curtain and means 7 17. In a device of the class described a curtain roller, a curtain, a plurality of members secured to the curtain adapted to detachably connect the curtain with the roller,

proper adjustment.

19. The combination with a post or column rovided with a vertical recess or cavity o a casing rotatable in the cavity adapted to close the same and shaped to form a symmetrical finish for the post in said position or when partly closed, a roller in the cavity "rotatable independently-of the rmanentlysecured to the curtain adapt engage the roller.

to 'detachably.

- 20. In a device of the cIpss described a post having a cavity therein, a casing adapted to conform to the external contour of thest and close or partly close the same, a, ocking mechanism for securing the casing in the desired position and a curtain ifrl o the cavity adapted to be extended there- 21. Inadevice of the class described a roller, a curtain, buttons rigidly secured to the curtain adapted to engage the curtain to the roller and ada to automatically release the curtain from theroller.

22. In a device of the elm described a casing, amembe'r closing each end thereof, a gudgeon secured to the outer side of each member, a roller in the casing at its ends journaled in the end members, a curtain and resilient members adapted to' attach the curtain to the roller and permit automatic detachment-thereof, 23. Ina device of the class described a post or column'having a' cavity therein, a

casing therein, end members secured thereto, one of which is provided with looking apertures,a spring pressed lockin bolt secured a to the post adapted to engage in any of said apertures and a curtain in the cavity extensible therefrom. I

'24. In a device of the class described the combination with a post having a cavity therein,'a casing rotatable in the cavlty, a justable to open, partly open and close sa d cavity, a locking mechanism cdhcealed 1n the post for locking the casing in any adjustment, a roller in the cavity and a curtain secured thereto adapted to extend therefrom.

In testimony. whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

I HARRY H. SCI-IROYER. Witnesses: I

O. W. HILLS, K. E. HANNAH. 

